A seaside town is a shadow of its former glory to such an extent that locals have dubbed it a “complete s******e”.

Paignton, once described as a “seaside gem” on the Devon coast, used to be a haven for tourists known as the “English Riviera”.

The town reached a peak in the 19th century when the arrival of the railway – which provided a direct connection to London – introduced a whole new tourist population.

But it has fallen from grace over the last century or so, leaving locals frustrated, according to reports.

They have blamed the departure of a high-tech firm that had established a factory in the area before leaving, dashing hopes for an economic boost.

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Speaking to Devon Live, several residents have said Paignton suffered when Nortel, a telecommunications firm that had set up on the edge of town and had provided 5,200 jobs, left in 2006.

The company had only stayed for seven years after building a site in 1999, and left the town in “steep decline”, according to one local.

Paul Wallis, the owner of an electrical shop on Torquay Road, said Nortel had catered for Paignton.

He said: “It started when Nortel went. There was a steep decline after that. It catered for all people.”

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“That’s what’s lacking in the town today. It wasn’t just skilled people, there were unskilled jobs as well.

“There were more than 5,000 workers there. All those people working rather than sitting on the streets.”

A local tradesman was much more critical, dubbing Paignton a “s***hole”.

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The town will soon gain a much-needed boost, with plans announced to “level up” the community’s centre.

In 2022, it was announced that Paignton had received £13.36m of funding to “kick start the exciting transformation of Paignton town centre”.

The funding, Torbay Council said, would allow officials to make several infrastructure improvements such as new homes, with a particular focus on Crossways, Victoria Centre, Paignton Picture House, and Paignton and Preston public realm.

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